Letter from the Rose Garden

This is an original one-act play that we wrote for our class. The short play consists of a few scenes of two romantic characters that undoubtably fall in love with each other. Although they are unable to be together at first, their connection never seems to separate. 

One Act Play

Letter from the Rose Garden

DARUIS: The golden boy from the suburban cities in Italy. His character is modest and simple, a hopeless romantic who strives to find himself in the studies he’ll learn from going back to school during a time when education wasn’t the number one priority. This character falls in love easily, as shown by his fickle heart in this act.

Lorette: This character feels herself different from the crowd and her long brown hair falls messy on both sides of her face. She sees through the fakeness in people and cannot stand to be a part of the rich and wealthy society that she was born into. She yearns to escape the noise and go somewhere quiet with someone she loves above all.

Scene 1

The audience is opened up to the path leading up to a garden outside in the suburban areas of Italy. In an ambiguous time in the past, the audience then sees DARIUS pacing back and forth on the dirt path near a fountain and rose bushes. The sky is a pale purple and blue mix where the sun has just recently set but the weather is still warm from the sun’s warmth earlier that day. There is a party somewhere in the distant background where a masquerade ball is happening. The wealthy party while DARIUS sits alone in the garden, trying to clear his mind.

DARIUS: Why do my thoughts disturb my peace? How is it that I am so pensive on such a carefree evening…?

[The sound of footsteps on the dusty path to the garden can be heard. LORETTE walks out from behind the bushes.]

LORETTE: Oh sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you.

DARIUS: Quite the opposite, I am in the need of company. How goes the party?

LORETTE: No excitement or interest in there for me. Only masked people yearning the attention or notice from a stranger.

DARIUS: Although you are not strange, I am glad to have caught your notice.

[LORETTE smiles at the kind and clever joke and they proceed to talk for hours on through the night.]

Scene 2

Later that night, as people are filing out of the ballroom. Their eyes meet as they meet up outside. The moonlight is illuminating the scene and the quiet murmur of people milling about is heard in the background.

LORETTE: I’ll be seeing you again soon I hope?

[DARIUS looks away sheepishly as though severely apprehensive to tell LORETTE of the thoughts on his mind.]

LORETTE: What is it?

DARIUS: I must leave before sunset tomorrow, for I am returning to school in Vienne for a while.

[LORETTE and DARIUS are forced to say their goodbyes although both know that they have easily fallen in love with one another just from one night of getting to know one another. Their parting takes forever, neither one wants to leave.]

Scene 3

DARIUS leaves for school, but immediately writes a letter to LORETTE’s home in Genoa. The years pass and the two send letters back and forth while the short encounter still burns within them both. Years later in the city of Padua, not too far from Genoa, the two meet again at last. The cobblestone streets from the train station are loud with people bustling by and the two spot each other as DARIUS steps off the station.

[LORETTE runs to greet DARIUS.]

DARIUS: To think it has been so long.

LORETTE: Although it does feel as though you never left.

[The two stare at one another lovingly.]